Cover member and display device

ABSTRACT

A first substrate including a first surface and a second surface on an opposite side of the first surface, the first surface being a detection surface for detecting unevenness of an object coming in contact or close, a second substrate facing the other surface of the first substrate, and a sensor unit provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, and which detects the unevenness of a finger coming in contact with or close to the detection surface.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.15/395,159, filed Dec. 30, 2016, which claims priority from JapaneseApplication No. 2016-005330, filed on Jan. 14, 2016, the contents ofwhich are incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a cover member and a display device.

2. Description of the Related Art

A fingerprint sensor is sometimes provided in an electronic apparatusincluding a display device such as a liquid crystal display device. Thefingerprint sensor detects a shape of a fingerprint by detectingunevenness of the fingerprint held by a finger in contact with thefingerprint sensor (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-openPublication No. 2002-245443). A detection result of the fingerprintsensor is used for, for example, personal authentication. A surface ofthe fingerprint sensor is provided with a glass substrate for protectingthe fingerprint sensor, and a surface of the glass substrate serves as adetection surface for allowing a finger to come in contact and detectingthe fingerprint.

The glass substrate provided on the surface of the fingerprint sensorneeds to have a predetermined thickness or more to increase the strengthin order to prevent damage. However, if the glass substrate becomesthicker, the distance between a detection electrode of the fingerprintsensor and the finger becomes larger, and thus sufficient detectionsensitivity may not be able to be obtained.

SUMMARY

According to one aspect, a cover member includes a first substrateincluding a first surface and a second surface on an opposite side ofthe first surface, and the first surface being a detection surface fordetecting unevenness of an object coming in contact or close, a secondsubstrate facing the second surface, and a sensor unit provided betweenthe first substrate and the second substrate, and configured to detectthe unevenness of a finger coming in contact with or close to the firstsurface.

According to one aspect, a display device includes the cover memberdescribed above, and a display unit provided on an opposite side of thefirst substrate with respect to the second substrate, and provided toface a transmissive region of the cover member and configured to displayan image.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of adetection device including a cover member according to a firstembodiment;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of afirst detection unit;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of asecond detection unit;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view illustrating a state in which a finger isnot in contact or close, for describing a basic principle of touchdetection in a self-capacitance system;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view illustrating a state in which a finger isin contact or close, for describing a basic principle of touch detectionin the self-capacitance system;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view illustrating an example of an equivalentcircuit of touch detection in the self-capacitance system;

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of waveforms of a drivesignal and a touch detection signal of touch detection in theself-capacitance system;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating a mechanism of fingerprintdetection by the first detection unit;

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view illustrating a state in which a finger isnot in contact or close, for describing a basic principle of touchdetection in a mutual capacitance system;

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view illustrating an example of an equivalentcircuit of the state in which a finger illustrated in FIG. 9 is not incontact or close;

FIG. 11 is an explanatory view illustrating a state in which a finger isin contact or close, for describing a basic principle of touch detectionin the mutual capacitance system;

FIG. 12 is an explanatory view illustrating an example of an equivalentcircuit of the state in which a finger is in contact or closeillustrated in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of waveforms of a drivesignal and a touch detection signal of touch detection in the mutualcapacitance system;

FIG. 14 is a plan view of the cover member according to the firstembodiment;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view illustrating a schematic sectional structureof the cover member according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a plan view schematically illustrating an overallconfiguration of second electrodes and wires;

FIG. 17 is a plan view schematically illustrating an overallconfiguration of first electrodes, the second electrodes, gate lines,and data lines;

FIG. 18 is a schematic plan view illustrating a configuration of thefirst electrodes and wires regarding one second electrode;

FIG. 19 is timing waveform charts of a detection device including thecover member according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 20 is a plan view for describing a configuration of the firstelectrode and a switching element;

FIG. 21 is a sectional view along an XXI-XXI′ line of FIG. 20;

FIG. 22 is an explanatory view for describing an example of a process ofmanufacturing the cover member;

FIG. 23 is a sectional view illustrating a schematic sectional structureof a cover member according to a modification of the first embodiment;

FIG. 24 is a sectional view illustrating a schematic sectional structureof a cover member according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 25 is a sectional view illustrating an enlarged schematic sectionalstructure of the cover member according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 26 is a plan view of a cover member according to a thirdembodiment;

FIG. 27 is a sectional view illustrating an enlarged schematic sectionalstructure of the cover member according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 28 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration example ofdrive electrodes and second electrodes of a touch sensor unit accordingto the third embodiment;

FIG. 29 is a plan view schematically illustrating configurations ofsecond electrodes and wires according to a fourth embodiment;

FIG. 30 is a plan view illustrating configurations of first electrodes,gate lines, and data lines of a cover member according to a fifthembodiment;

FIG. 31 is a plan view illustrating configurations of first electrodes,gate lines, and data lines of a cover member according to a sixthembodiment;

FIG. 32 is a sectional view illustrating a schematic sectional structureof a display device according to a seventh embodiment; and

FIG. 33 is a plan view for describing a relationship between a pixelarray and gate lines, and a pixel array and data lines.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Forms for implementing the invention (embodiments) will be described indetail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is notlimited by content described in the embodiments below. Configurationelements described below include elements easily conceived by a personskilled in the art and elements substantially the same. Further, theconfiguration elements described below can be appropriately combined.The disclosure is merely an example, and appropriate modifications whichmaintain the points of the invention, and which can be easily conceivedby a person skilled in the art, are obviously included in the scope ofthe present invention. To make description more clear, the drawings maybe schematically illustrated in the width, thickness, shape, and thelike of respective portions, compared with actual forms. However, suchillustration is merely an example, not limiting the construction of thepresent invention. In the present specification and drawings, elementssimilar to those described with respect to the drawings that havealready been mentioned are denoted with the same reference signs, anddetailed description may be appropriately omitted.

First Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of adetection device including a cover member according to a firstembodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a detection device 1 includes acover member 10, a control unit 11, a gate driver 12, a first electrodedriver 13, a second electrode driver 14, a first detection unit 40, anda second detection unit 80. A sensor unit 18 is built in the covermember 10. The sensor unit 18 of the cover member 10 is a member inwhich a fingerprint sensor unit 20 that detects a fingerprint of afinger and a touch sensor unit 30 that detects approach and a positionof the finger are integrated. The cover member 10 is mounted on adisplay surface such as a display panel using a liquid crystal displayelement as a display element. The display panel on which the covermember 10 is mounted may be an organic EL display panel, for example. Asother configurations of the detection device 1, configurations built inthe cover member 10 can be employed, or configurations provided inpositions different from the cover member 10 and these differentconfigurations being coupled with the sensor unit 18 of the cover member10 on a flexible printed wiring board (FPC) can be employed.

The fingerprint sensor unit 20 sequentially scans one detection line ata time and performs detection according to a scanning signal Vscansupplied from the gate driver 12. The fingerprint sensor unit 20 detectsthe fingerprint by detecting unevenness of an object coming in contactor close, on the basis of a detection principle in a self-capacitancesystem. The touch sensor unit 30 is operated on the basis of a basicprinciple of capacitance-type touch detection, performs a touchdetection operation in the self-capacitance system or a mutualcapacitance system, and detects that an external conductor contacts orapproaches a transmissive region. The fingerprint sensor unit 20 and thetouch sensor unit 30 are controlled on the basis of a control signalVtouch supplied to the control unit 11.

The control unit 11 supplies the control signals to the gate driver 12,the first electrode driver 13, the second electrode driver 14, the firstdetection unit 40, and the second detection unit 80, respectively, andcontrols these signals to be operated in synchronization with oneanother.

The gate driver 12 has a function to sequentially select one detectionelectrode block that serves as an object that is driven and detected bythe fingerprint sensor unit 20 on the basis of the control signalsupplied from the control unit 11.

The first electrode driver 13 is a circuit that supplies a first drivesignal Vf to a first electrode 25 that serves as an object that isdriven and detected by the fingerprint sensor unit 20 on the basis ofthe control signal supplied from the control unit 11.

The second electrode driver 14 is a circuit that supplies a second drivesignal Vt to a second electrode 26 of the touch sensor unit 30 on thebasis of the control signal supplied from the control unit 11.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of thefirst detection unit 40. The first detection unit 40 is a circuit thatdetects presence/absence of touch at small pitches on the basis of thecontrol signal supplied from the control unit 11 and a first detectionsignal Vdet1 supplied from the fingerprint sensor unit 20. The firstdetection unit 40 includes, for example, a detection signal amplifier42, an A/D converter 43, a signal processor 44, a coordinate extractionunit 45, and a synthesizing unit 47. A detection timing control unit 46controls the A/D converter 43, the signal processor 44, the coordinateextraction unit 45, and the synthesizing unit 47 to be operated insynchronization with one another on the basis of the control signalsupplied from the control unit 11.

The detection signal amplifier 42 amplifies the first detection signalVdet1 supplied from the fingerprint sensor unit 20. The detection signalamplifier 42 may include an analog low-pass filter (LPF) that is alow-pass analog filter that removes a high-frequency component (noisecomponent) included in the first detection signal Vdet1 and outputs theresult.

The A/D converter 43 samples the analog signal output from the detectionsignal amplifier 42 at timing synchronized with the first drive signalVf and converts it into a digital signal.

The signal processor 44 includes a digital filter that decreasesfrequency components (noise components) contained in an output signal ofthe A/D converter 43 and the frequency components other than thefrequency at which the first drive signal Vf is sampled. The signalprocessor 44 is a logical circuit that detects presence/absence of touchto the fingerprint sensor unit 20 on the basis of the output signal ofthe A/D converter 43.

The coordinate extraction unit 45 is a logical circuit that obtainsdetection coordinates of touch when the touch is detected in the signalprocessor 44. The coordinate extraction unit 45 outputs the detectioncoordinates to the synthesizing unit 47. The synthesizing unit 47generates two-dimensional information that indicates the shape of theobject coming in contact or close by combining the first detectionsignals Vdet1 output from each first electrode of the fingerprint sensorunit 20.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of asecond detection unit. The second detection unit 80 is a circuit thatdetects presence/absence of touch on the basis of the control signalsupplied from the control unit 11 and a second detection signal Vdet2supplied from the touch sensor unit 30. The second detection unit 80includes, for example, a touch detection signal amplifier 82, an A/Dconverter 83, a signal processor 84, and a coordinate extraction unit85. A detection timing control unit 86 controls the A/D converter 83,the signal processor 84, and the coordinate extraction unit 85 to beoperated in synchronization with one another on the basis of the controlsignal supplied from the control unit 11. Operations of the touchdetection signal amplifier 82, the A/D converter 83, the signalprocessor 84, and the coordinate extraction unit 85 are similar to thoseof the detection signal amplifier 42, the A/D converter 43, the signalprocessor 44, and the coordinate extraction unit 45. The signalprocessor 84 is a logical circuit that detects presence/absence of touchto the touch sensor unit 30, and the second detection unit 80 outputs adetection result of the presence/absence of touch to the touch sensorunit 30 to the control unit 11.

As described above, the fingerprint sensor unit 20 and the touch sensorunit 30 are operated on the basis of a basic principle ofcapacitance-type touch detection. The basic principle of touch detectionin the self-capacitance system will be described with reference to FIGS.4 to 7. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view illustrating a state in which afinger is not in contact or close, for describing the basic principle ofthe touch detection in the self-capacitance system. FIG. 5 is anexplanatory view illustrating a state in which a finger is in contact orclose, for describing the basic principle of the touch detection in theself-capacitance system. FIG. 6 is an explanatory view illustrating anexample of an equivalent circuit of the touch detection in theself-capacitance system. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example ofwaveforms of a drive signal and a touch detection signal of the touchdetection in the self-capacitance system.

The left diagram of FIG. 4 illustrates a state in which a power supplyVdd and a detection electrode E1 are coupled by a switch SW1, and thedetection electrode E1 is not coupled with a capacitor Ccr by a switchSW2 in the state where a finger is not in contact or close. In thisstate, a capacitance Cx1 included by the detection electrode E1 ischarged. The right diagram of FIG. 4 illustrates a state in which thepower supply Vdd and the detection electrode E1 are discoupled by theswitch SW1, and the detection electrode E1 and the capacitor Ccr arecoupled by the switch SW2. In this state, a charge of the capacitanceCx1 is discharged through the capacitor Ccr.

The left diagram of FIG. 5 illustrates a state in which the power supplyVdd and the detection electrode E1 are coupled by the switch SW1, andthe detection electrode E1 is not coupled with the capacitor Ccr by theswitch SW2 in the state where a finger is in contact or close. In thisstate, a capacitance Cx2 caused by the finger coming close to thedetection electrode E1 is charged, in addition to the capacitance Cx1included by the detection electrode E1. The right diagram of FIG. 5illustrates a state in which the power supply Vdd and the detectionelectrode E1 are discoupled by the switch SW1, and the detectionelectrode E1 and the capacitor Ccr are coupled by the switch SW2. Inthis state, the charge of the capacitance Cx1 and the charge of thecapacitance Cx2 are discharged through the capacitor Ccr.

Because of existence of the capacitance Cx2, voltage changecharacteristics of the capacitor Ccr at the time of discharge (the statein which a finger is in contact or close) illustrated in the rightdiagram of FIG. 5 are clearly different from voltage changecharacteristics of the capacitor Ccr at the time of discharge (in thestate where a finger is not in contact or close) illustrated in theright diagram of FIG. 4. Therefore, in the self-capacitance system,presence/absence of an operation input of a finger or the like isdetermined using the voltage change characteristics of the capacitor Ccrare different depending on the presence/absence of the capacitance Cx2.

To be specific, an alternating current square wave Sg (see FIG. 7) of apredetermined frequency (for example, about several to several hundredsof kHz) is applied to the detection electrode E1. A voltage detector DETillustrated in FIG. 6 converts variation of a current according to thealternating current square wave Sg into variation of a voltage(waveforms V₃ and V₄).

As described above, the detection electrode E1 can be detached by theswitch SW1 and the switch SW2. In FIG. 7, at timing of time T₀₁, thealternating current square wave Sg raises a voltage level correspondingto a voltage V₀. At this time, the switch SW1 is ON and the switch SW2is OFF. Therefore, the voltage of the detection electrode E1 rises tothe voltage V₀. Next, the switch SW1 is turned OFF before timing of timeT₁₁. At this time, while the detection electrode E1 is in a floatingstate, the potential V₀ of the detection electrode E1 is maintained bythe capacitance Cx1 (see FIG. 4) of the detection electrode E1, or acapacitance (Cx1+Cx2, see FIG. 5) that is obtained by adding thecapacitance Cx2 due to the contact or approach of the finger or the liketo the capacitance Cx1 of the detection electrode E1. Further, a switchSW3 is turned ON before the timing of time T₁₁ and is turned OFF afterthe lapse of a predetermined time, so that the voltage detector DET isreset. With this reset operation, an output voltage becomes a voltageapproximately equivalent to Vref.

Following that, when the switch SW2 is turned ON at the timing of timeT₁₁, an inverting input portion of the voltage detector DET becomes thevoltage V₀ of the detection electrode E1, and then, the inverting inputportion of the voltage detector DET is decreased to the referencevoltage Vref according to time constants of the capacitance Cx1 (orCx1+Cx2) of the detection electrode E1 and a capacitance C5 in thevoltage detector DET. At this time, the charge accumulated in thecapacitance Cx1 (or Cx1+Cx2) or the detection electrode E1 is moved tothe capacitance C5 in the voltage detector DET, and thus an output ofthe voltage detector DET rises (Vdet). The output (Vdet) of the voltagedetector DET becomes a waveform V₃ illustrated by the solid line whenthe finger or the like is not close to the detection electrode E1, andVdet=Cx1×V₀/C5 is established. When the capacitance due to an influenceof the finger or the like is applied, the output (Vdet) becomes awaveform V₄ illustrated by the dotted line, and Vdet=(Cx1+Cx2)×V₀/C5 isestablished.

Following that, the switch SW2 is turned OFF and the switch SW1 and theswitch SW3 are turned ON at timing of time T₃₁ after the charge of thecapacitance Cx1 (or Cx1+Cx2) of the detection electrode E1 issufficiently moved to the capacitance C5, so that the potential of thedetection electrode E1 is decreased to a low level that is the samepotential as the alternating current square wave Sg and the voltagedetector DET is reset. At this time, timing to turn ON the switch SW1may be any timing as long as the timing is after the switch SW2 isturned OFF and on or before time T₀₂. Timing to reset the voltagedetector DET may be any timing as long as the timing is after the switchSW2 is turned OFF and on or before time T₁₂. The above operation isrepeated at a predetermined frequency (for example, about several toseveral hundreds of kHz). Presence/absence of an external proximityobject (presence/absence of touch) can be measured on the basis of anabsolute value |ΔV| that is a difference between the waveform V₃ and thewaveform V₄. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the potential of the detectionelectrode E1 becomes a waveform of V₁ when the finger or the like is notclose, and becomes a waveform of V₂ when the capacitance Cx2 due to aninfluence of the finger or the like is applied.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating a mechanism of fingerprintdetection by the first detection unit 40. The synthesizing unit 47generates the two-dimensional information that indicates the shape ofthe external proximity object coming in contact with or close to thedetection electrode E1 by combining the detection signals Vdet from aplurality of the detection electrodes E1. To be specific, thesynthesizing unit 47 generates a two-dimensional image that indicates adifference in detection intensity as intensity of color (for example,gray scale), and the difference in the detection intensity appearsaccording to a difference in the degree of contact to the cover member10 (see FIG. 1) caused by the unevenness held by the external proximityobject (for example, the finger of a human or the like). An output Vout1of the first detection unit 40 including the synthesizing unit 47 is anoutput of the above-described two-dimensional information, for example.

FIG. 8 exemplarily illustrates two-gradation detection that indicatesonly presence/absence of contact or approach, for the purpose ofclarification. However, in reality, detection results in the blocks canhave multi-gradation. Further, in FIG. 8, the detected externalproximity object is an object having projections in double circlemanner. However, in a case where the external proximity object is thefinger of a human having a fingerprint, the fingerprint appears as thetwo-dimensional information. The function of the synthesizing unit 47may be included by a configuration other than the first detection unit40. For example, the output Vout1 of the first detection unit 40 may bean output of the coordinate extraction unit 45, and an externalconfiguration may generate the two-dimensional information on the basisof the output Vout1. The configuration regarding the generation of thetwo-dimensional information may be realized by hardware such as acircuit or by so-called software processing.

In the second detection unit 80 illustrated in FIG. 1, the signalprocessor 84 performs processing of taking out only a difference betweendetection signals by the finger. A signal of the difference by thefinger is the above-described absolute value |ΔV| that is the differencebetween the waveform V₃ and the waveform V₄. The signal processor 84 mayperform averaging the absolute value |ΔV| per one detection block, andobtain an average value of the absolute values |ΔV|. Accordingly, thesignal processor 84 can decrease an influence due to noises. The signalprocessor 84 compares the signal of the detected difference by thefinger with a predetermined threshold voltage, and determines that theexternal proximity object is in a non-contact state if the signal isless than the threshold voltage. Meanwhile, the signal processor 84compares the signal of the detected difference due to the finger withthe predetermined threshold voltage, and determines that the externalproximity object is in a contact state if the signal is the thresholdvoltage or more. The coordinate extraction unit 85 is a logical circuitthat obtains coordinates when the touch is detected by the signalprocessor 84. The coordinate extraction unit 85 outputs the coordinatesas a detection signal output Vout2. As described above, the seconddetection unit 80 can detect the touch on the basis of the seconddetection signal Vdet2 supplied from the touch sensor unit 30.

Next, a basic principle of touch detection in the mutual capacitancesystem of the detection device 1 of the present embodiment will bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 9 to 13. FIG. 9 is an explanatory viewillustrating a state in which a finger is not in contact or close, fordescribing a basic principle of touch detection in the mutualcapacitance system. FIG. 10 is an explanatory view illustrating anequivalent circuit of the state in which a finger is not in contact orclose illustrated in FIG. 9. FIG. 11 is an explanatory view illustratinga state in which a finger is in contact or close, for describing a basicprinciple of the touch detection in the mutual capacitance system. FIG.12 is an explanatory view illustrating an example of an equivalentcircuit of the state in which a finger is in contact or closeillustrated in FIG. 11. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example ofwaveforms of a drive signal and a touch detection signal of the touchdetection in the mutual capacitance system.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 9, a capacitance element C1 includesa pair of a detection electrode E1 and a drive electrode E2 arranged toface each other with a dielectric body D interposed therebetween. Asillustrated in FIG. 10, the capacitance element C1 has one end coupledwith an alternating current signal source (drive signal source) S, andthe other end coupled with a voltage detector DET. The voltage detectorDET is an integrating circuit included in the touch detection signalamplifier 82 illustrated in FIG. 3, for example.

When an alternating current square wave Sg of a predetermined frequency(for example, about several to several hundreds of kHz) is applied tothe drive electrode E2 (the one end of the capacitance element C1) fromthe alternating current signal source S, an output waveform (detectionsignal Vdet) as illustrated in FIG. 13 appears through the voltagedetector DET coupled to the detection electrode E1 (the other end of thecapacitance element C1) side. The alternating current square wave Sgcorresponds to the second drive signal Vt input from the secondelectrode driver 14.

In the state in which a finger is not in contact or close (non-contactstate), a current I₀ according to a capacitance value of the capacitanceelement C1 flows along with charge to/discharge from the capacitanceelement C1, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. The voltage detector DETillustrated in FIG. 10 converts variation of the current I₀ according tothe alternating current square wave Sg into variation of a voltage (awaveform V₅ in the solid line (see FIG. 13)).

Meanwhile, in the state in which a finger is in contact or close(contact state), a capacitance C2 generated by the finger is in contactwith or close to the detection electrode E1, as illustrated in FIG. 11,and thus a capacitance of fringe between the drive electrode E2 and thedetection electrode E1 is shielded. Therefore, as illustrated in FIG.12, the capacitance element C1 functions as a capacitance element C1′having a smaller capacitance value than the capacitance value in thenon-contact state. Then, in the equivalent circuit illustrated in FIG.12, a current I₁ flows in the capacitance element C1′. As illustrated inFIG. 13, the voltage detector DET converts variation of the current I₁according to the alternating current square wave Sg into variation of avoltage (a waveform V₆ in the dotted line). In this case, the waveformV₆ has smaller amplitude than the above-described waveform V₅.Accordingly, an absolute value |ΔV| of a voltage difference between thewaveform V₅ and the waveform V₆ is changed according to an influence ofa conductor such as the finger coming in contact or close from anoutside. The voltage detector DET preferably performs an operationprovided with a period Reset in which charge/discharge of the capacitoris reset in accordance with a frequency of the alternating currentsquare wave Sg by switching in the circuit, in order to accuratelydetect the absolute value |ΔV| of the voltage difference between thewaveform V₅ and the waveform V₆.

In the second detection unit 80 illustrated in FIG. 1, the signalprocessor 84 performs processing of taking out an absolute value |ΔV| ofa difference between the detection signals by the finger, that is, thedifference between the waveform V₅ and the waveform V₆. The signalprocessor 84 compares a signal of the detected difference by the fingerwith a predetermined threshold voltage, and determines that the externalproximity object is in the non-contact state if the signal is less thanthe threshold voltage. Meanwhile, the signal processor 84 compares thesignal of the detected difference by the finger with the predeterminedthreshold voltage, and determines that the external proximity object isin the contact state if the signal is the threshold voltage or more. Inthis way, the second detection unit 80 can detect the touch in themutual capacitance system on the basis of the second detection signalVdet2 supplied from the touch sensor unit 30.

Next, a configuration example of the cover member 10 will be describedin detail. FIG. 14 is a plan view of the cover member according to thefirst embodiment. FIG. 15 is a sectional view illustrating a schematicsectional structure of the cover member according to the firstembodiment.

As illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15, the cover member 10 includes a firstsubstrate 21, a second substrate 22 facing the first substrate 21, and asensor unit 18 provided between the first substrate 21 and the secondsubstrate 22. The first substrate 21 includes a transmissive region 10 ahaving a transmitting property for allowing an image displayed by anexternal liquid crystal display device or the like to be visuallyrecognized, and a frame region 10 b outside the transmissive region 10a. A decorative layer 39 and a flexible substrate 36 are provided inpositions overlapped with the frame region 10 b of the sensor unit 18.The decorative layer 39 is a colored layer having smaller lighttransmittance than the first substrate 21, and can suppress visualrecognition of wires, circuits, and the like provided in the frameregion 10 b. The decorative layer 39 includes a second decorative layer39 b as a ground layer for suppressing leakage of light to the frameregion 10 b, and a first decorative layer 39 a as a colored layerprovided on the second decorative layer 39 b. The configuration of thedecorative layer 39 is not limited thereto, and may be a single layer orthree or more layers.

One surface of the first substrate 21 is a detection surface 21 a fordetecting the fingerprint of the finger coming in contact or close. Asurface on an opposite side of the detection surface 21 a is an adhesionsurface 21 b for bonding the sensor unit 18 through an adhesive layer38. The second substrate 22 is arranged to face the adhesion surface 21b of the first substrate 21. The sensor unit 18 is bonded to one surface22 a of the second substrate 22 with an adhesive layer 37 interposedtherebetween. The other surface 22 b on an opposite side of the onesurface 22 a of the second substrate 22 is a surface attached to adisplay surface of an electronic apparatus such as an external liquidcrystal display device. The first substrate 21 and the second substrate22 are reinforced glass or alkali glass. As the reinforced glass,chemically reinforced glass having a compressive stress layer on asurface, the compressive stress layer being formed by replacing a sodium(Na) ion on the surface of the glass with a potassium (K) ion having alarger ion radius, or reinforced glass having a compressive stress layeron a surface, the compressive stress layer being formed by sending theair to rapidly cool a heated glass substrate can be used, for example.The first substrate 21 and the second substrate 22 may be six-surfacereinforced glass.

As illustrated in FIG. 15, the sensor unit 18 includes a sensor basematerial 24, a first electrode 25, and a second electrode 26. The sensorbase material 24 is a film-like base material made of a polyimide resin.The second electrode 26 is provided on the sensor base material 24. Thefirst electrode 25 is provided above the second electrode 26 with aninsulating layer 56 interposed therebetween. An insulating layer 57 isprovided on the first electrode 25 for protecting the first electrode25.

The first electrode 25 is a detection electrode of the fingerprintsensor unit 20 (see FIG. 1), and corresponds to the detection electrodeE1 in the detection principle in the capacitance type. The fingerprintof the finger coming in contact with or close to the detection surface21 a can be detected on the basis of the detection principle in theself-capacitance system according to capacitance change of the firstelectrode 25 of the sensor unit 18. The second electrode 26 is adetection electrode of the touch sensor unit 30 (see FIG. 1), andcorresponds to the detection electrode E1 in the detection principle ofthe capacitance type. The touch input coordinates of the conductorcoming in contact with or close to the detection surface 21 a can bedetected on the basis of the detection principle in the self-capacitancesystem according to the capacitance of the second electrode 26 of thesensor unit 18. As described above, in the sensor unit 18, thefingerprint sensor unit 20 that detects the fingerprint of the fingerand the touch sensor unit 30 that detects the touch input areintegrated.

As illustrated in FIG. 14, a plurality of the second electrodes 26 isarranged in a matrix manner in a direction along a long side of thetransmissive region 10 a and a direction along a short side of thetransmissive region 10 a. Each of the plurality of second electrodes 26has a square shape. A plurality of the first electrodes 25 is providedto be overlapped with the second electrodes 26 in the transmissiveregion 10 a. The first electrodes 25 have a rhombic shape, and arearranged such that sides of the rhombic shapes face each other. Thefirst electrode 25 has a smaller area than the second electrode 26, anda large number of the first electrodes 25 is provided to be overlappedwith one second electrode 26. FIG. 14 illustrates only a part of thefirst electrodes 25 and a part of the second electrodes 26 forsimplicity of the drawing. However, the first electrodes 25 and thesecond electrodes 26 may be provided in the entire transmissive region10 a. The first electrodes 25 may be provided in positions overlappedwith a part of the second electrodes 26. As the first electrodes 25 andthe second electrodes 26, a light-transmitting conductive material suchas indium tin oxide (ITO) can be used.

The first electrode 25 of the sensor unit 18 detects the fingerprint onthe basis of change of the capacitance by fine unevenness in the surfaceof the finger. To obtain favorable detection sensitivity, the firstelectrode 25 is favorably arranged at a position close to the detectionsurface 21 a. For example, in a case where only one sheet of the glasssubstrate for protecting the sensor unit 18 is provided on an uppersurface, the glass substrate is preferably made thinner to obtain thefavorable detection sensitivity. To be specific, the thickness of theglass substrate is preferably 0.3 mm or less. Meanwhile, typically, ifthe thickness of the glass substrate becomes 0.5 mm or less, the glasssubstrate becomes easily damaged.

In the cover member 10 of the present embodiment, a thickness t₁ of thefirst substrate 21 illustrated in FIG. 15 is t₁=0.25 mm and a thicknesst₂ of the second substrate 22 illustrated in FIG. 15 is t₂=0.25 mm. Thefirst substrate 21 and the second substrate 22 have the same thickness,and ones having the thickness thinner than 0.5 mm are used. The twoglass substrates of the first substrate 21 and the second substrate 22are provided, the sensor unit 18 is arranged between the first substrate21 and the second substrate 22, and the pair of the substrates is bondedwith the sensor unit 18 interposed therebetween. Therefore, even if thethicknesses of the first substrate 21 and the second substrate 22 aremade thinner than 0.5 mm, respectively, the cover member 10 is formed inso-called a laminated glass manner, and as a result, the strength of thecover member 10 can be maintained. The thickness of the first substrate21 provided on the detection surface 21 a side can be made thin up to0.25 mm with respect to the first electrodes 25, and thus the distancebetween the first electrodes 25 and the surface of the finger to bedetected becomes close, and the favorable detection sensitivity can beobtained. As described above, according to the cover member 10 of thepresent embodiment, the favorable detection sensitivity can be obtainedwhile suppressing damage. The thicknesses of the first substrate 21 andthe second substrate 22 are preferably 0.3 mm or less, and preferably0.2 mm to 0.3 mm.

The first substrate 21 and the second substrate 22 preferably have thesame linear expansion coefficient. The linear expansion coefficient ofthe first substrate 21 and the second substrate 22 is, for example,30×10⁻⁷/° C. to 95×10⁻⁷/° C. The same glass material is preferably usedfor the first substrate 21 and the second substrate 22. According tothis configuration, even if expansion/contraction of the glasssubstrates is caused due to temperature change of a use environment,both surfaces of the sensor unit 18 have a similar displacement amount,and thus bending or deformation of the cover member 10 can besuppressed.

As the adhesive layer 38 that bonds the first substrate 21 and thesensor unit 18, and the adhesive layer 37 that bonds the secondsubstrate 22 and the sensor unit 18, an optical adhesive film (opticalclear adhesive (OCA)) is used, for example. The same material ispreferably used for the adhesive layer 37 and the adhesive layer 38. Ifdoing so, both surfaces of the sensor unit 18 have a similardisplacement amount, and thus bending or deformation of the cover member10 can be suppressed.

An embodiment is not limited to the above-described configuration, thesecond substrate 22 may be thicker than the first substrate 21. Forexample, the thickness t₁ of the first substrate 21 may be t₁=0.25 mm,and the thickness t₂ of the second substrate 22 may be thicker than 0.25mm, and may be, for example, t₂=0.5 mm. In doing so, the distancebetween the first electrode 25 and the detection surface 21 a can bemade small and the preferable detection sensitivity can be obtained, andthe total thickness of the first substrate 21 and the second substrate22 is increased, so that the strength of the cover member 10 can beimproved.

In the present embodiment, the decorative layer 39 is provided on thesensor unit 18 side, and thus damage of the first substrate 21 can besuppressed, compared with a case in which the decorative layer 39 isprinted and formed on the first substrate 21. Misalignment of theposition of the decorative layer 39 due to a bonding misalignmentbetween the first substrate 21 and the sensor unit 18 does not occur.Therefore, the area of the decorative layer 39 can be made small.Accordingly, a narrow frame can be achieved.

Next, detailed structures of the first electrode 25 and the secondelectrode 26 will be described. FIG. 16 is a plan view schematicallyillustrating an overall configuration of the second electrodes andwires. As illustrated in FIG. 16, the second electrodes 26 arranged in amatrix manner are coupled with conductive wires 51 through contact holesH1. In the present embodiment, one wire 51 is coupled with one secondelectrode 26. The wire 51 is inclined with respect to an array directionof a column direction of the second electrodes 26 in the transmissiveregion 10 a, and is pulled out from the transmissive region 10 a to theframe region 10 b. The wire 51 is electrically coupled with the flexiblesubstrate 36 (see FIGS. 14 and 15), and is coupled with a controlcircuit such as an external control IC (not illustrated).

The second drive signal Vt is supplied from the second electrode driver14 to the wire 51. The second detection signal Vdet2 according to changeof a self-capacitance of the second electrode 26 is supplied to thesecond detection unit 80 through the wire 51. Accordingly, the externalconductor coming in contact with or close to the detection surface 21 acan be detected on the basis of the touch detection principle in theself-capacitance system. The second drive signal Vt may be supplied toall of the second electrodes 26 at the same time, or may be sequentiallysupplied by providing a scanner circuit to the second electrode driver14.

The wire 51 is made of at least one of metal materials of aluminum (Al),copper (Cu), silver (Ag), molybdenum (Mo), and alloy thereof. The wire51 may be a laminated body in which a plurality of layers is laminatedusing one or more of the metal materials.

FIG. 17 is a plan view schematically illustrating an overallconfiguration of the first electrodes, the second electrodes, gatelines, and data lines. FIG. 18 is a schematic plan view illustrating aconfiguration of the first electrodes and each wire regarding one secondelectrode. As illustrated in FIG. 17, a plurality of gate lines GCL anda plurality of data lines SGL are provided to be overlapped with thesecond electrodes 26. The gate lines GCL are inclined with respect tothe array direction of the column direction of the second electrodes 26.The data lines SGL are inclined in an opposite direction to the gatelines GCL with respect to the array direction of the column direction ofthe second electrodes 26. The data lines SGL and the gate lines GCL arearranged to intersect with one another in a mesh manner. Therhombic-shaped first electrodes 25 are respectively provided in regionssurrounded by the data lines SGL and the gate lines GCL. The firstelectrode 25 has a rhombic shape having four equal sides. However, theshape of the first electrode 25 is not limited thereto, and may be aparallelogram, for example.

As illustrated in FIG. 18, a first switching element Tr and a secondswitching element Trx are provided in an intersection of the data lineSGL and the gate line GCL. The first switching element Tr and the secondswitching element Trx are provided at the position corresponding to thefirst electrode 25. The first switching element Tr can switch couplingand decoupling between the data line SGL and the first electrode 25. Thesecond switching element Trx can switch coupling and decoupling betweenthe first electrode 25 and the second electrode 26.

The first switching element Tr is configured of a thin film transistor.In this example, the first switching element Tr is configured of ann-channel metal oxide semiconductor (MOS)-type thin film transistor(TFT). The second switching element Trx performs a switching operationreverse to the first switching element Tr. In this example, the secondswitching element Trx is configured of a p-channel MOS-type TFT. Thesame scanning signal is supplied to the first switching element Tr andthe second switching element Trx, and the first switching element Tr isON (open) and the second switching element Trx is OFF (close) when thescanning signal is at a high level, for example. The first switchingelement Tr is OFF (close) and the second switching element Trx is ON(open) when the scanning signal is at a low level.

As illustrated in FIG. 17, the gate lines GCL are coupled with a gatescanner 12A provided in the frame region 10 b. The gate scanner 12Asequentially selects the gate lines GCL. The gate driver 12 supplies thescanning signal Vscan to the gate line GCL selected by the gate scanner12A. The first switching element Tr (see FIG. 18) are switched on andoff by the scanning signal Vscan. The plurality of first electrodes 25arrayed along the gate lines GCL is selected as first electrode blocks25A to be detected, and the scanning signal Vscan of a high level issupplied to the first switching elements Tr corresponding to each firstelectrode 25 of the first electrode blocks 25A.

The data lines SGL are coupled with a multiplexer 13A provided in theframe region 10 b. The multiplexer 13A sequentially selects theplurality of data lines SGL. The first electrode driver 13 supplies thefirst drive signal Vf to the selected data line SGL through themultiplexer 13A. Accordingly, the first drive signal Vf is supplied toeach first electrode 25 of the first electrode blocks 25A to be detectedthrough the data lines SGL and the first switching elements Tr. Thefingerprint of the finger is detected on the basis of the capacitancechange of each first electrode 25 by the first drive signal Vf.

The gate scanner 12A and the multiplexer 13A can be provided atpositions overlapped with the frame region 10 b of the sensor basematerial 24 (see FIG. 15). The frame region 10 b of the cover member 10has a larger area than the display device, and thus can be provided withthe gate scanner 12A and the multiplexer 13A.

As illustrated in FIG. 18, the wire 51 coupled with the second electrode26 is provided to be overlapped with the data line SGL, and is providedalong the data line SGL. Therefore, visual recognition of the data lineSGL can be suppressed. As illustrated in FIGS. 16 to 18, the wires 51,the data lines SGL, and the gate lines GCL are provided to be inclinedwith respect to the array direction of the second electrodes 26. Thatis, the wires 51, the data lines SGL, and the gate lines GCL areprovided to intersect with a gap between the adjacent second electrodes26. Therefore, moiré occurring at the second electrodes 26 and each wireis suppressed. When the cover member 10 is provided on the displaydevice, the wires 51, the data lines SGL, and the gate lines GCL areinclined with respect to an array direction of pixels of the displaydevice. Therefore, occurrence of the moiré is suppressed.

The cover member 10 of the present embodiment includes the touch sensorunit 30 and the fingerprint sensor unit 20 (see FIG. 1). Therefore, thepositional coordinates of the finger detected by the touch sensor unit30 are acquired by the control unit 11, and the fingerprint sensor unit20 can detect the fingerprint at a spot corresponding to the positionalcoordinates. For example, in a case where contact or approach of afinger Fg is detected at a position overlapped with a second electrode26A illustrated in FIG. 16, the first electrodes 25 at the positionoverlapped with the second electrode 26A are driven and the fingerprintis detected.

To be specific, the gate scanner 12A sequentially selects gate linesGCL(n), GCL(n+1), . . . and GCL(n+4) overlapped with the secondelectrode 26A illustrated in FIG. 18, and the gate driver 12sequentially supplies the scanning signal Vscan to the selected gatelines GCL(n), GCL(n+1), . . . and GCL(n+4). The multiplexer 13Asequentially selects data lines SGL(m), SGL(m+1), . . . and SGL(m+4)overlapped with the second electrode 26A, and the first electrode driver13 supplies the first drive signal Vf to the selected data lines SGL(m),SGL(m+1), . . . and SGL(m+4). Accordingly, the first drive signal Vf issupplied to the first electrodes 25 overlapped with the second electrode26A, and the fingerprint can be detected at the position where thefinger Fg comes in contact or close.

FIG. 19 is timing waveform charts of the detection device including thecover member according to the first embodiment. FIG. 19 illustrates anexample of the fingerprint detection operation of the fingerprint sensorunit 20. As illustrated in FIG. 19, detection periods Pt1, Pt2, Pt3, . .. are arranged in time division. In the detection period Pt1, the n-thgate line GCL(n) is selected, and a scanning signal Vscan(n) is turnedON (high level). The first switching elements Tr coupled with the n-thgate line GCL(n) are supplied with the scanning signal Vscan(n) and areturned ON (open). Accordingly, the first drive signal Vf is supplied toeach first electrode 25 of first electrode blocks 25A(n) correspondingto the gate line GCL(n) through the data line SGL(m).

In the detection period Pt1, the signal Vsgl is supplied to the secondelectrodes 26. In the unselected gate lines GCL(n+1) and GCL(n+2),scanning signals Vscan(n+1) and Vscan(n+2) are turned OFF (low level).Therefore, the second switching elements Trx coupled with the gate linesGCL(n+1) and GCL(n+2) are turned ON (open). The signal Vsgl is suppliedto unselected first electrode blocks 25A(n+1), 25A(n+2) . . . throughthe second electrodes 26. The signal Vsgl is a guard signal having thesame waveform synchronized with the first drive signal Vf. Accordingly,the synchronized guard signal having the same waveform as the firstelectrodes 25 is supplied to the periphery of each first electrode 25 ofthe first electrode blocks 25A(n), and thus the electrodes around thefirst electrodes 25 have the same potential as the first electrodes 25.Accordingly, parasitic capacitances between the first electrodes 25 andthe second electrodes 26, and parasitic capacitances between each firstelectrode 25 of the first electrode blocks 25A(n) and the unselectedfirst electrodes 25 are decreased. Therefore, a decrease in thedetection sensitivity of the fingerprint sensor unit 20 can besuppressed.

In the detection period Pt2, the (n+1)th gate line GCL(n+1) is selected,and a scanning signal Vscan(n+1) is turned ON (high level). The firstswitching elements Tr coupled with the (n+1)th gate line GCL(n+1) aresupplied with the scanning signal Vscan(n+1) and turned ON (open).Accordingly, the first drive signal Vf is supplied to each firstelectrode 25 of the first electrode blocks 25A(n+1) corresponding to thegate line GCL(n+1) through the data line SGL(m+1). In the detectionperiod Pt2, the signal Vsgl is supplied to the second electrodes 26 andthe unselected first electrode blocks 25A(n) and 25A(n+2).

In the detection period Pt3, the (n+2)th gate line GCL(n+2) is selected,and a scanning signal Vscan (n+2) is turned ON (high level). The firstswitching elements Tr coupled with the (n+2)th gate line GCL(n+2) aresupplied with the scanning signal Vscan(n+2) and turned ON (open).Accordingly, the first drive signal Vf is supplied to each firstelectrode 25 of the first electrode block 25A(n+2) corresponding to thegate line GCL(n+2) through the data line SGL(m+2). In the detectionperiod Pt3, the signal Vsgl is supplied to the second electrodes 26 andthe unselected first electrode blocks 25A(n) and 25A(n+1).

With repetition of the above operation, the first detection signal Vdet1is output to the first detection unit 40 (see FIG. 1) from the firstelectrodes 25 at the position overlapped with the second electrode 26Awhere the finger Fg comes in contact or close, on the basis of thedetection principle in the self-capacitance system. In doing so, thedetection operation of the fingerprint is performed by the fingerprintsensor unit 20.

Next, configurations of the first electrode 25, the second electrode 26,the first switching element Tr, and the second switching element Trxwill be described. FIG. 20 is a plan view for describing a configurationof the first electrode and the switching elements. FIG. 21 is asectional view along the XXI-XXI′ line of FIG. 20.

As illustrated in FIG. 20, sides of the adjacent first electrodes 25 arespaced and face each other, and the gate line GCL and the data line SGLare provided between the first electrodes 25 to intersect with eachother. Near an intersection of the gate line GCL and the data line SGL,the first electrode 25 is coupled with a drain electrode 63 of the firstswitching element Tr through a contact hole H4. In FIG. 20, the secondelectrode 26 is omitted for simplicity of the drawing.

As illustrated in FIG. 21, the first switching element Tr includes asemiconductor layer 61, a source electrode 62, the drain electrode 63,and a gate electrode 64.

As illustrated in FIG. 21, the sensor base material 24 is bonded abovethe second substrate 22 with the adhesive layer 37 interposedtherebetween. The sensor base material 24 includes a film base material24 b, and a resin layer 24 a provided on the film base material 24 b.The gate line GCL is provided on the resin layer 24 a of the sensor basematerial 24. An insulating layer 58 a is provided on the gate line GCL,and the semiconductor layer 61 is provided on the insulating layer 58 a.An insulating layer 58 b is provided on the semiconductor layer 61, andthe drain electrode 63 and the data line SGL are provided on theinsulating layer 58 b. A planarizing layer 59 is provided on the drainelectrode 63 and the data line SGL, and the wire 51 is provided on theplanarizing layer 59. An insulating layer 58 c is provided on the wire51, and the second electrode 26 is provided on the insulating layer 58c. The insulating layer 56 is provided on the second electrode 26, andthe first electrode 25 is provided on the insulating layer 56, asdescribed above.

The semiconductor layer 61 is coupled with the drain electrode 63through a contact hole H3. The semiconductor layer 61 intersects withthe gate line GCL in plan view. In the gate line GCL, a portionoverlapped with the semiconductor layer 61 functions as the gateelectrode 64. The semiconductor layer 61 is provided along the data lineSGL, and is bent at a position overlapped with the data line SGL. Thesemiconductor layer 61 is electrically coupled with the data line SGLthrough a contact hole H2. In the data line SGL, a portion overlappedwith the semiconductor layer 61, functions as the source electrode 62.In this way, the data line SGL and the first switching element Tr, andthe gate line GCL and the first switching element Tr are electricallycoupled. In FIGS. 20 and 21, the portion of the semiconductor layer 61intersecting with the gate line GCL is one spot. However, thesemiconductor layer 61 may be bent to intersect with the gate line GCLtwice.

As illustrated in FIG. 21, the second switching element Trx is providedin the same layer as the first switching element Tr. The secondswitching element Trx includes a semiconductor layer 65, a sourceelectrode 66, a drain electrode 67, and a gate electrode 64. In thisexample, as the drain electrode 67 of the second switching element Trx,a common electrode to the drain electrode 63 of the first switchingelement Tr is used.

The semiconductor layer 65 is coupled with the drain electrode 67through a contact hole H9. The drain electrode 67 is coupled with thefirst electrode 25 through a contact hole H4. The semiconductor layer 65is provided along the data line SGL and intersects with the gate lineGCL in plan view. In the gate line GCL, a portion overlapped with thesemiconductor layer 65 function as the gate electrode 64. As illustratedin FIG. 20, the gate electrode 64 of the second switching element Trxbranches from the gate line GCL and is electrically coupled with thegate electrode 64 of the first switching element Tr. That is, the firstswitching element Tr and the second switching element Trx share the gateline GCL. The semiconductor layer 65 is coupled with the secondelectrode 26 through contact holes H10 and H11. In this way, the firstelectrode 25 and the second switching element Trx, and the secondelectrode 26 and the second switching element Trx are electricallycoupled.

As the material of the semiconductor layer 61, known material such aspolysilicon or an oxide semiconductor can be used. For example, atransparent amorphous oxide semiconductor (TAOS) can be used.

As illustrated in FIG. 20, the wire 51 is arranged to be overlapped withthe data line SGL. A tab 51 a is provided near the intersection of thedata line SGL and the gate line GCL, and protrudes in a directionintersecting with the wire 51. The tab 51 a is provided at a positionnot overlapped with the data line SGL, and is electrically coupled withthe second electrode 26 through the contact hole H1. In this way, thesecond electrode 26 and the wire 51 are electrically coupled.

With such a configuration, the first electrode 25 is arranged ondetection surface 21 a side of the first substrate 21 with respect tothe first switching element Tr, the second electrode 26, and each wire.Therefore, the distance between the finger to be detected and the firstelectrode 25 decreases, and the favorable detection sensitivity can beobtained.

FIG. 22 is an explanatory view for describing an example of a process ofmanufacturing the cover member. First, the resin layer 24 a is formed ona glass substrate 31 with an adhesion layer 32 interposed therebetween.The resin layer 24 a is, for example, a polyimide resin. A wiring layer33 including the first switching elements Tr, the data lines SGL, thegate lines GCL, and the like, the second electrodes 26, and the firstelectrodes 25 are laminated in this order above the resin layer 24 a.After that, heat treatment is applied to the glass substrate 31, and theresin layer 24 a is separated from the glass substrate 31. Then, thefilm base material 24 b of film-like resin material different from theglass substrate 31 is prepared, and the resin layer 24 a is bonded onthe film base material 24 b. Accordingly, the first switching elementsTr (omitted in FIG. 22), the first electrodes 25, the second electrodes26, and the like are provided above the film-like sensor base material24, and the film-like sensor unit 18 is formed.

The decorative layer 39 may be formed above the sensor unit 18 by aprinting method. The flexible substrate 36 is coupled with the sensorunit 18, and the flexible substrate 36 is electrically coupled with thefirst electrodes 25 and the second electrodes 26. Then, the firstsubstrate 21 is bonded to an upper side of the sensor unit 18 with theadhesive layer 38 interposed therebetween, and the second substrate 22is bonded to a lower side of the sensor unit 18 with the adhesive layer37 interposed therebetween. In this way, the cover member 10 ismanufactured.

In the present embodiment, the film-like sensor base material 24 isused. Therefore, the entire thickness of the cover member 10 can be madethin. The first switching elements Tr are formed on the resin layer 24 aof the sensor base material 24, and the sensor base material 24 isbonded with the second substrate 22. The first switching elements Tr arenot formed on the second substrate 22, and thus the degree of freedom inmaterial selection of the second substrate 22 can be increased. Forexample, as the second substrate 22, alkali glass containing alkalicomponents can be used.

FIG. 23 is a sectional view illustrating a schematic sectional structureof a cover member according to a modification of the first embodiment.The present modification is different in that a decorative layer 39 isprovided on a first substrate 21. In this case, a first decorative layer39 a is printed and formed on an adhesion surface 21 b side of the firstsubstrate 21, and a second decorative layer 39 b is laminated on thefirst decorative layer 39 a. The first substrate 21 has a flattersurface than a sensor unit 18, and thus print formation of thedecorative layer 39 is easy. The decorative layer 39 may be overlappedwith a frame region 10 b and provided up to an outer edge of the firstsubstrate 21. The decorative layer 39 is provided on the adhesionsurface 21 b side of the first substrate 21. However, the decorativelayer 39 may be provided on a detection surface 21 a side.

Second Embodiment

FIG. 24 is a sectional view illustrating a schematic sectional structureof a cover member according to a second embodiment. FIG. 25 is asectional view illustrating an enlarged schematic sectional structure ofthe cover member according to the second embodiment.

As illustrated in FIG. 24, in a cover member 10A of the presentembodiment, a sensor base material 24 of a sensor unit 18 is provided ona detection surface 21 a side with respect to first electrodes 25. Then,the sensor base material 24 is bonded with a first substrate 21 with anadhesive layer 38 interposed therebetween. The first electrodes 25 andsecond electrodes 26 are laminated in this order from the sensor basematerial 24 toward a second substrate 22. An insulating layer 57 thatcovers the second electrodes 26 and the second substrate 22 are bondedwith an adhesive layer 37 interposed therebetween. In the presentembodiment, a decorative layer 39 is provided on an adhesion surface 21b side of the first substrate 21.

As illustrated in FIG. 25, the first electrode 25, the wire 51, a firstswitching element Tr, and the second electrode 26 are laminated in thisorder from the sensor base material 24 toward the second substrate 22.An insulating layer 56 is provided between the first electrodes 25 andthe wire 51. An insulating layer 58 f is provided between the wire 51and the gate line GCL. An insulating layer 58 e is provided between thegate line GCL and a semiconductor layer 61. An insulating layer 58 d isprovided between the semiconductor layer 61 and a data line SGL, andbetween the semiconductor layer 61 and a drain electrode 63. Aplanarizing layer 59 is provided between the data line SGL and thesecond electrodes 26, and between the drain electrode 63 and the secondelectrodes 26. The insulating layer 57 is provided to cover the secondelectrodes 26, and the insulating layer 57 is bonded with the secondsubstrate 22 with the adhesive layer 37 interposed therebetween.

The wire 51 and the second electrode 26 are coupled through a contacthole H5. The first electrode 25 is coupled with the drain electrode 63through a contact hole H8. The drain electrode 63 is coupled with oneend side of the semiconductor layer 61 through a contact hole H7. Theother end side of the semiconductor layer 61 is coupled with a sourceelectrode 62 through a contact hole H6. In this way, the first electrode25 and the first switching element Tr are coupled.

As illustrated in FIG. 25, even in the present embodiment, a secondswitching element Trx is provided in the same layer as the firstswitching element Tr. The second switching element Trx includes asemiconductor layer 65, a source electrode 66, a drain electrode 67, anda gate electrode 64. The gate electrode 64 of the second switchingelement Trx is provided in the same layer as a gate electrode 64 of thefirst switching element Tr. A portion of the gate line GCL overlappedwith the semiconductor layer 61 functions as the gate electrode 64 ofthe first switching element Tr, and a portion of the gate line GCLoverlapped with the semiconductor layer 65 functions as the gateelectrode 64 of the second switching element Trx. Even in this example,the first switching element Tr and the second switching element Trxshare the gate line GCL. The semiconductor layer 65 of the secondswitching element Trx is provided in the same layer as the semiconductorlayer 61. The source electrode 66 and the drain electrode 67 areprovided in the same layer as the source electrode 62 and the drainelectrode 63. As the drain electrode 67 of the second switching elementTrx, a common electrode to the drain electrode 63 of the first switchingelement Tr is used.

The semiconductor layer 65 is coupled with the drain electrode 67through a contact hole H12. The drain electrode 67 is coupled with thefirst electrode 25 through the contact hole H8. The semiconductor layer65 is coupled with the source electrode 66 through a contact hole H13,and the source electrode 66 is coupled with the second electrode 26through a contact hole H14. In this way, the first electrode 25 and thesecond switching element Trx, and the second electrode 26 and the secondswitching element Trx are electrically coupled. By providing the secondswitching element Trx, a signal Vsgl as a guard signal is supplied tothe first electrodes 25 that are not selected as objects to be detectedthrough the second electrodes 26. Accordingly, parasitic capacitancesbetween the first electrodes 25 and the second electrodes 26, andparasitic capacitances between the first electrodes 25 selected as theobjects to be detected and the unselected first electrodes 25 aredecreased.

In the cover member 10A of the present embodiment, the sensor basematerial 24 includes a resin layer 24 a, and is not provided with a filmbase material 24 b (see FIG. 21). Therefore, a distance between thefirst electrodes 25 as sensor electrodes and the detection surface 21 ais made smaller than a case provided with the film base material 24 b,and favorable detection sensitivity can be obtained. In this case, in aprocess of manufacturing the cover member 10A, a wiring layer 33including the first electrodes 25 and the first switching elements Tr(see FIG. 22), and the second electrodes 26 are laminated in this orderon the resin layer 24 a. Then, a process of bonding the resin layer 24 ato the film base material 24 b is omitted, and the resin layer 24 a isbonded to the first substrate 21. In this way, in the presentembodiment, a manufacturing process can be simplified.

Third Embodiment

FIG. 26 is a plan view of a cover member according to a thirdembodiment. FIG. 27 is a sectional view illustrating an enlargedschematic sectional structure of the cover member according to the thirdembodiment. FIG. 28 is a perspective view illustrating a configurationexample of drive electrodes and second electrodes of a touch sensor unitaccording to the third embodiment.

The above-described touch sensor unit 30 detects contact or approach ofan external conductor on the basis of the detection principle in theself-capacitance system. However, an embodiment is not limited thereto,and the touch sensor unit 30 may perform detection on the basis of thedetection principle in the mutual capacitance system. As illustrated inFIG. 26, a cover member 10B of the present embodiment includes a secondelectrode 27, and a drive electrode 28 facing the second electrode 27.As illustrated in FIG. 26, the second electrode 27 is provided along along side of a transmissive region 10 a, and a plurality of the secondelectrodes 27 is arrayed in a direction along a short side of thetransmissive region 10 a. The drive electrode 28 intersects with thesecond electrodes 27, and a plurality of the drive electrodes 28 isarrayed in an extending direction of the second electrodes 27. A firstelectrode 25 of the present embodiment has a similar configuration tothe above-described configuration, and a plurality of the firstelectrodes 25 is arranged in a spot where the second electrode 27 andthe drive electrode 28 are overlapped and intersect with each other.

The drive electrodes 28 are electrically coupled with a flexiblesubstrate 36 through wires (not illustrated) provided in a frame region10 b. A second drive signal Vt is supplied from a second electrodedriver 14 to the drive electrodes 28 through the flexible substrate 36.The second electrodes 27 are electrically coupled with the flexiblesubstrate 36 through wires (not illustrated) provided in the frameregion 10 b. A second detection signal Vdet2 according to capacitancechange between the second electrode 27 and the drive electrode 28 isoutput from the second electrode 27 to a second detection unit 80 (seeFIG. 1).

As illustrated in FIG. 27, a planarizing layer 59 is provided on a firstswitching element Tr, and the drive electrode 28 is provided on theplanarizing layer 59. An insulating layer 58 c is provided on the driveelectrode 28, and the second electrode 27 is provided on the insulatinglayer 58 c. An insulating layer 56 is provided on the second electrode27, and the first electrode 25 is provided on the insulating layer 56.The second electrode 27 and the drive electrode 28 are respectivelycoupled with the wires in the frame region 10 b, and thus wires 51 (seeFIG. 16) in a transmissive region 10 a are not provided. In the presentembodiment, the drive electrode 28 is provided in the layer where thewire 51 of the first embodiment is provided. Therefore, touch detectioncan be performed on the basis of the detection principle in the mutualcapacitance system without increasing the number of laminated layers.

As illustrated in FIG. 28, the plurality of drive electrodes 28functions as a plurality of stripe-shaped electronic patterns extendingin a right and left direction of FIG. 28. The second electrodes 27include a plurality of electrode patterns intersecting with the driveelectrodes 28. Then, the second electrodes 27 face the drive electrodes28 in a direction perpendicular to a detection surface 21 a of a firstsubstrate 21. Capacitances are respectively generated in intersectionsof the electrode patterns of the drive electrodes 28 and each electrodepattern of the second electrodes 27.

The shape of the second electrodes 27 and the drive electrodes 28 (driveelectrode blocks) is not limited to the shape divided into a pluralityof stripes. For example, the second electrodes 27 may have a comb-toothshape. Alternatively, the second electrodes 27 may just be divided intoa plurality of sections. The shape of the slit that divides the driveelectrodes 28 may be a straight line or may be a curved line.

With the configuration, when a touch detection operation in the mutualcapacitance system is performed in a touch sensor unit 30, the secondelectrode driver 14 is driven to sequentially scan each drive electrodeblock including the drive electrode 28 in time division, so that thedrive electrode 28 of the drive electrode block is sequentiallyselected. Then, the second detection signal Vdet2 is output from thesecond electrode 27, and the touch detection of the drive electrodeblock is performed. That is, the drive electrode 28 corresponds to thedrive electrode E2 in the basic principle of the touch detection in themutual capacitance system, and the second electrode 27 corresponds tothe detection electrode E1. The touch sensor unit 30 detects a touchinput according to the basic principle. As illustrated in FIG. 28, inthe touch sensor unit 30, the second electrodes 27 and the driveelectrodes 28 intersecting with one another configure capacitance-typetouch sensors in a matrix manner. Therefore, by scanning the entiretouch detection surface of the touch sensor unit 30, the touch sensorunit 30 can detect a position where the conductor externally comes incontact or close.

A fingerprint detection operation is performed in the position detectedby the touch sensor unit 30, on the basis of capacitance change of thefirst electrodes 25. The fingerprint detection operation is similar tothat of the first embodiment. By supplying the signal Vsgl to the secondelectrodes 27, parasitic capacitances between the first electrodes 25and the second electrodes 27 can be decreased.

Fourth Embodiment

FIG. 29 is a plan view schematically illustrating configurations ofsecond electrodes and wires according to a fourth embodiment. Aplurality of second electrodes 26T and 26R of the present embodiment isarranged in a matrix manner. The second electrodes 26T and the secondelectrodes 26R are alternately arrayed in a row direction, and arealternately arrayed in a column direction. Capacitances are generatedbetween the second electrode 26T, and the second electrodes 26R arrangedadjacent to and around the second electrode 26T.

The second electrodes 26T are electrically coupled with a secondelectrode driver 14 through drive wires 51T, and the second electrodes26R are electrically coupled with a second detection unit 80 throughdetection wires 51R. A drive signal Vt is supplied from the secondelectrode driver 14 to the second electrodes 26T, and a fringing fieldEf is generated between the second electrode 26T and the secondelectrode 26R. When a finger or the like comes in contact or close, thefringing field Ef is shielded, so that the capacitance between thesecond electrode 26T and the second electrode 26R is decreased.Accordingly, a second detection signal Vdet2 is output from the secondelectrode 26R to the second detection unit 80, and the position of thefinger coming in contact with or close to a touch sensor unit 30 isdetected. In the present embodiment, the second electrode 26Rcorresponds to the detection electrode E1 in the basic principle of thetouch detection in the mutual capacitance system, the second electrode26T corresponds to the drive electrode E2. In this way, the touchdetection in the mutual capacitance system can be performed by thesecond electrode 26T and the second electrode 26R provided in the samelayer. In this case, the layer configuration can be simplified, comparedwith a case of providing the drive electrode and the detection electrodein different layers.

When contact or approach of a finger Fg is detected, first electrodes 25(not illustrated in FIG. 29) in a position overlapped with the secondelectrode 26R where the finger Fg comes in contact or close are drivenand fingerprint detection can be performed, similarly to the firstembodiment.

In the present embodiment, the drive wire 51T is individually coupledwith each of the second electrodes 26T, and the detection wire 51R isindividually coupled with each of the second electrodes 26R. Therefore,a method of driving the second electrodes 26T can be appropriately set.For example, the drive signal Vt may be sequentially supplied to theplurality of second electrodes 26T. Alternatively, a plurality of thesecond electrodes 26T arrayed in the row direction may be treated as onedrive electrode block, and the plurality of second electrodes 26T may besequentially driven in the column direction in every drive electrodeblock. The second electrodes 26T arrayed in the column direction may betreated as one drive electrode block, and the second electrodes 26T maybe sequentially driven in the row direction in every drive electrodeblock.

Fifth Embodiment

FIG. 30 is a plan view illustrating configurations of first electrodes,gate lines, and data lines of a cover member according to a fifthembodiment. A first electrode 25 a of the present embodiment has asquare shape, and a plurality of the first electrodes 25 a is arrangedin a matrix manner. A data line SGL includes a first linear portion Uaand a second linear portion Ub having a predetermined angle with respectto a column direction of the first electrodes 25 a. The first linearportion Ua and the second linear portion Ub are symmetry with respect toa straight line parallel to a row direction of the first electrodes 25a. The data line SGL is formed in a zigzag manner in which the firstlinear portions Ua and the second linear portions Ub are alternatelycoupled. The data lines SGL as a whole are provided along a columndirection of the first electrodes 25 a.

A gate line GCL includes a third linear portion Uc and a fourth linearportion Ud having a predetermined angle with respect to the rowdirection of the first electrodes 25 a. The third linear portion Uc andthe fourth linear portion Ud are symmetry with respect to a straightline parallel to the column direction of the first electrodes 25 a. Thegate line GCL is formed in a zigzag manner such that the third linearportions Uc and the fourth linear portions Ud are alternately coupled.The gate lines GCL as a whole are provided along the row direction ofthe first electrodes 25 a.

A dummy wire DL is provided apart from the gate line GCL and the dataline SGL. The dummy wire DL includes a plurality of linear portionsprovided along the first linear portion Ua, the second linear portionUb, the third linear portion Uc, and the fourth linear portion Ud. Withthe dummy wire DL, the gate line GCL, the data line SGL, and the dummywire DL as a whole are arranged in a mesh manner. Accordingly, lighttransmittance is uniformed as a whole, and thus visual recognition ofthe gate line GCL and the data line SGL can be suppressed.

Even in the present embodiment, a first switching element Tr is providednear an intersection of the gate line GCL and the data line SGL. Onefirst switching element Tr is provided for one first electrode 25 a.

The gate lines GCL as a whole extend in the row direction, and thus theplurality of first electrodes 25 a arrayed in the row direction issequentially selected as first electrode blocks 25A that serve asobjects to be detected. For example, when a scanning signal Vscan issupplied to a gate line GCL(n), the first switching elements Tr coupledwith the gate line GCL(n) are turned ON. Then, a first drive signal Vfis supplied to each first electrode 25 a of the first electrode blocks25A(n) through data lines SGL(m), SGL(m+1), SGL(m+2), and SGL(m+3).First detection signals Vdet1 are output from each first electrode 25 aof the first electrode blocks 25A(n), on the basis of the detectionprinciple in the self-capacitance system. These signals are sequentiallyselected with gate lines GCL(n+1), and GCL(n+2), whereby fingerprintdetection of a finger coming in contact or close becomes possible.

In the present embodiment, only the first switching elements Tr areillustrated. However, similarly to the structure illustrated in FIGS. 20and 21, the first switching element Tr and a second switching elementTrx may be provided for one first electrode 25 a.

Sixth Embodiment

FIG. 31 is a plan view illustrating configurations of first electrodes,gate lines, and data lines of a cover member according to a sixthembodiment. In the present embodiment, a light-transmitting wire 52 thatcouples one gate line GCL and the other gate line GCL is provided.Further, the wire 52 that couples one data line SGL and the other dataline SGL is provided. A metal material is used for the gate line GCL andthe data line SGL near intersections of the gate lines GCL and the datalines SGL, that is, in spots coupled with first switching elements Tr.The wire 52 using a light-transmitting conductive material such as ITOis provided in other positions where sides of first electrodes 25 faceeach other. As described above, the wire 52 is used in a part of thegate lines GCL and the data lines SGL, and thus light transmittance of atransmissive region 10 a can be improved.

The wire 52 such as ITO has lower conductivity than metal materials.However, the gate lines GCL and the data lines SGL of the presentembodiment are provided to drive the first electrodes 25 for fingerprintdetection, and thus can favorably detect fingerprint even if the gatelines GCL and the data lines SGL have a higher resistance value thandisplay gate lines and display data lines used for a display device.

As illustrated in FIG. 31, the wire 52 coupled with the data line SGLhas the same width as the wire 52 coupled with the gate line GCL. Anembodiment is not limited thereto, and the wire 52 coupled with the dataline SGL may have a wider width than the wire 52 coupled with the gateline GCL. A first drive signal Vf (see FIG. 19) is supplied to the wire52 coupled with the data line SGL, as described above. Then, a signalVsgl having the same waveform and synchronized with the first drivesignal Vf is supplied to a second electrode 26 overlapped with the wire52. Therefore, even if the wire 52 coupled with the data line SGL ismade thicker, a parasitic capacitance between the wire 52 and the secondelectrode 26 can be suppressed.

In the present embodiment, only the first switching element Tr isillustrated. However, the first switching element Tr and a secondswitching element Trx may be provided for one first electrode 25,similarly to the structure of FIGS. 20 and 21.

Seventh Embodiment

FIG. 32 is a sectional view illustrating a schematic sectional structureof a display device according to a seventh embodiment. FIG. 33 is a planview for describing a relationship between a pixel array and gate lines,and a pixel array and data lines. As illustrated in FIG. 32, a displaydevice 100 includes a pixel substrate 102, a counter substrate 103facing the pixel substrate 102, a liquid crystal layer 106 providedbetween the pixel substrate 102 and the counter substrate 103, and acover member 10 provided above the counter substrate 103.

The pixel substrate 102 includes a TFT substrate 121 as a circuit board,a plurality of pixel electrodes 122 disposed in a matrix manner abovethe TFT substrate 121, a plurality of common electrodes COML providedbetween the TFT substrate 121 and the pixel electrodes 122, and aninsulating layer 124 that insulates the common electrodes COML from thepixel electrodes 122. A polarizing plate 135 may be provided under theTFT substrate 121 with an adhesion layer interposed therebetween (notillustrated).

As illustrated in FIG. 32, the counter substrate 103 includes a glasssubstrate 131, and a color filter 132 formed on one surface of the glasssubstrate 131. The cover member 10 is provided on the other surface ofthe glass substrate 131 with an adhesion layer 71 interposedtherebetween. The cover member 10 is one of those described in the firstto sixth embodiments, and a sensor unit 18 is provided between a firstsubstrate 21 and a second substrate 22.

As illustrated in FIG. 32, the TFT substrate 121 and the glass substrate131 are provided to face each other with a predetermined interval. Theliquid crystal layer 106 is provided in a space between the TFTsubstrate 121 and the glass substrate 131. The liquid crystal layer 106modulates light that passes through an electric field according to astate of the electric field. As the liquid crystal layer 106, liquidcrystal in a transverse electric field mode such as in-plane switching(IPS) including fringe field switching (FFS) is used. An oriented filmmay be respectively disposed between the liquid crystal layer 106 andthe pixel substrate 102, and between the liquid crystal layer 106 andthe counter substrate 103, illustrated in FIG. 32.

The pixel electrodes 122 are arranged in a transmissive region 10 a (seeFIG. 14) in a matrix manner. A region where one pixel electrode 122 isprovided corresponds to a sub pixel, and a plurality of the sub pixelsconfigures one pixel Pix as a set. As illustrated in FIG. 33, in thecolor filter 132, color regions 132R, 132G, and 132B of color filterscolored in three colors including red (R), green (G), and blue (B), forexample, are periodically arranged. The R, G, and B three color regions132R, 132G, and 132B are associated with each sub pixel, and the colorregions 132R, 132G, and 132B configure the pixel Pix as a set. Thepixels Pix are arranged in a matrix manner. The color filters 132 may bea combination of other colors as long as the color filters are coloredin different colors. An uncolored sub pixel may be included. The pixelPix may include four or more color regions.

A direction parallel to a row direction, of array directions of thepixels Pix is a first direction Dx, and a direction perpendicular to thefirst direction Dx is a second direction Dy. The gate lines GCL and thedata lines SGL of the cover member 10 are arranged to be overlapped withthe pixels Pix. An angle made by the gate line GCL and the pixel Pix inan array direction (second direction Dy) is θG. An angle made by thedata line SGL and the pixel Pix in an array direction (second directionDy) is θS. The gate lines GCL are preferably provided such that theangle θG falls within a range of 28° to 38°. Especially, the angle θGpreferably falls within a range of 31° to 35°. Similarly, the data linesSGL are preferably provided such that the angle θS falls within a rangeof 28° to 38°. Especially, the angle θS favorably falls within a rangeof 31° to 35°.

A pitch PG of the gate lines GCL arrayed in the first direction Dx ispreferably half-integer multiple of a pitch P of the pixels Pix. Thatis, it is preferable to satisfy the pitch PG=(q+½)×P (q=0, 1, 2, . . .). The pitch PG preferably falls within a range of(q+½)×P×0.9≤PG≤(q+½)×P×1.1. In the present embodiment, the data linesSGL arrayed in the first direction Dx are arrayed at the same pitch PGas the gate lines GCL. The pitch of the data lines SGL is alsopreferably half-integer multiple of the pitch P of the pixels Pix. Thepitch P of the pixels Pix is a total of widths d of the color regions132R, 132G, and 132B included in the pixel Pix.

The gate line GCL and the data line SGL respectively have portionsoverlapped with the color regions 132R, 132G, and 132B. Therefore,specific color regions 132R, 132G, and 132B are less likely to beshielded by the gate lines GCL and the data lines SGL. Therefore, adifference in brightness in each color region is less likely to occur inthe display device 100, and a possibility to visually recognize moirécan be decreased. Especially, the gate lines GCL and the data lines SGLare provided within the angle ranges at the pitches described above sothat a period of a light-and-shade pattern is likely to be shortened tothe extent that the period cannot be visually recognized by a human.Therefore, the possibility to visually recognize moiré can be decreased.

Although illustration is omitted in FIG. 33, the wire 51 illustrated inFIG. 16 is overlapped with the data line SGL and provided along the dataline SGL. That is, an angle made by the wire 51 and the array direction(second direction Dy) of the pixels Pix is the same angle as the angleθS, and is preferably provided to fall within the range of 28° to 38°.Especially, the angle of the wire 51 more preferably falls within therange of 31° to 35°. The pitch of the wire 51 arrayed in the firstdirection Dx is preferably half-integer multiple of the pitch P of thepixels Pix.

Favorable embodiments of the present invention have been described.However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Thecontent disclosed in the embodiments is merely examples, variousmodifications can be made without departing from the points of thepresent invention. Appropriate modifications made without departing fromthe points of the present invention obviously belong to the technicalscope of the present invention.

For example, the sensor unit 18 of the cover member 10 includes thefingerprint sensor unit 20 and the touch sensor unit 30. However, theembodiment is not limited thereto. For example, the sensor unit 18 ofthe cover member 10 may not include the touch sensor unit 30. In thiscase, the second electrode 26 serves as the guard drive electrode towhich the signal Vsgl is supplied at the time of the fingerprintdetection operation. The shapes of the first electrode 25, the secondelectrodes 26 and 27, and the drive electrode 28 are examples only, andvarious modifications can be made. The numbers, arrangement, and shapesof the gate lines GCL and the data lines SGL may be appropriatelychanged.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cover member comprising: a first substrateincluding a first surface and a second surface on an opposite side ofthe first surface, the first surface being a detection surface fordetecting a finger in contact with or in proximity to the first surfaceand detecting unevenness of the finger; a second substrate facing thesecond surface; and a sensor unit provided between the first substrateand the second substrate, and configured to detect positionalcoordinates of the finger and to detect the unevenness of the finger,wherein the sensor unit includes: a plurality of first electrodesconfigured to detect the unevenness of the finger based onself-capacitance changes of the respective first electrodes; and aplurality of second electrodes configured to detect the positionalcoordinates of the finger based on self-capacitance changes of therespective second electrodes, a size of the respective second electrodesbeing greater than a size of the respective first electrodes, and thesecond electrodes overlapping an entire area of at least two of thefirst electrodes.
 2. The cover member according to claim 1, wherein thefirst electrodes are provided in a position closer to the detectionsurface than the second electrodes are.
 3. The cover member according toclaim 1, wherein the sensor unit further includes switching elementsprovided in positions respectively corresponding to the firstelectrodes, gate lines for supplying scanning signals that scan theswitching elements, and data lines for supplying signals to theswitching elements.
 4. The cover member according to claim 3, wherein atleast one of the gate lines and the data lines contain alight-transmitting conductive material.
 5. The cover member according toclaim 3, further comprising a plurality of wires for supplying a drivesignal to the second electrodes, wherein at least one of the wiresoverlap one of the signal lines.
 6. The cover member according to claim5, wherein the first electrodes are provided in a position closer to thedetection surface than the second electrodes are, and the wires areprovided in a position closer to the detection surface than the signallines are.
 7. The cover member according to claim 6, wherein the wirescontain a light-transmitting conductive material.
 8. The cover memberaccording to claim 7, wherein the data lines contain alight-transmitting conductive material.
 9. The cover member according toclaim 5, wherein the drive signal is synchronized with a signal to besupplied to the first electrodes.
 10. The cover member according toclaim 1, further comprising: a first adhesive layer provided between thefirst substrate and the sensor unit; and a second adhesive layerprovided between the second substrate and the sensor unit.
 11. The covermember according to claim 10, wherein the first substrate includes atransmissive region configured to transmit an image, and a frame regionoutside the transmissive region, the sensor unit is provided overlappingboth the frame region and the transmissive region of the firstsubstrate, a decorative layer is provided on the second surface of thefirst substrate in the frame region, and the frame region of the firstsubstrate overlaps the second adhesive layer, the sensor unit, the firstadhesive layer, and the decorative layer, which are sequentially stackedon the second substrate in a first direction perpendicular to the secondsubstrate.
 12. The cover member according to claim 11, wherein thesensor unit further includes: a sensor base material; a first insulatinglayer; and a second insulating layer, the sensor base material, thesecond electrodes, the second insulating layer, the first electrodes,and the first insulating layer are sequentially stacked on the secondsubstrate in the first direction, and the first adhesive layer bonds thefirst insulating layer and the first substrate, and the second adhesivelayer bonds the sensor base material and the second substrate.
 13. Thecover member according to claim 11, wherein the sensor unit furtherincludes: a sensor base material; a first insulating layer; and a secondinsulating layer, the second insulating layer, the second electrodes,the first insulating layer, the first electrodes, and the sensor basematerial are sequentially stacked on the second substrate in the firstdirection, and the first adhesive layer bonds the sensor base materialand the first substrate, and the second adhesive layer bonds the secondinsulating layer and the second substrate.
 14. The cover memberaccording to claim 1, wherein the first substrate and the secondsubstrate have the same linear expansion coefficient.
 15. The covermember according to claim 1, wherein the same material is used for thefirst substrate and the second substrate.
 16. The cover member accordingto claim 1, wherein the first substrate has the same thickness as or isthinner than the second substrate.
 17. The cover member according toclaim 1, wherein a guard signal is supplied to the second electrodes ata time of a fingerprint detection operation in which the unevenness ofthe finger is detected based on the self-capacitance changes of therespective first electrodes.
 18. The cover member according to claim 17,wherein the guard signal has an identical waveform synchronized with afirst drive signal that is supplied through data lines to correspondingfirst electrodes at the time of the fingerprint detection operation. 19.A display device comprising: the cover member according to claim 1; anda display unit configured to display an image, wherein the display unitis provided on an opposite side of the first substrate with respect tothe second substrate, and provided to face a transmissive region of thefirst substrate, the transmissive region being configured to transmitthe image.